Fuga dalla realtà

Greetings again from the darkness. When it comes to death, everyone hopes to go out on their own terms. Perhaps that's at an advanced age surrounded by family. Or maybe it's before the loss of physical or mental capacities. And then there are those who just want to pass quietly while sleeping. Whatever terms one might envision, the odds are we will have little say in when, where, or how. Co-directors Tal Granit and Sharon Maymon previously collaborated on THE FAREWELL PARTY (2014), and here they are working on Rona Tamir's adaptation of the stage play by Anat Gov.

Andie MacDowell stars as Julia Roth, a once famous actress who is attempting to receive medical treatment while remaining incognito. Arriving for her first chemotherapy session, she admits to not having told friends, family, or even her loyal assistant Nancy (Tamsen Grieg). The three women currently receiving chemo all recognize Julia, but it becomes clear that no one being treated for cancer cares much about spotting a celebrity. It's interesting to watch as Julia is brought down a notch or two from her arrogance as she realizes two things: these folks aren't impressed, and her own cancer is much more advanced than she originally thought.

This little chemo support group provides the heart of the film. Screen veteran Miriam Margolyes plays Judy, a retired teacher and lifelong single. Sally Phillips plays Mikey, a former rocker and the most optimistic of the group. Rakhee Thakrar plays Imaan, a young Muslim mother hoping to be cured so she can watch her kids grow up. They are all being treated by Tom Cullen, who they've nicknamed, "Dr Handsome". Julia's motivation is the upcoming wedding of her daughter, and the mood shifts quickly when Nancy shows up to "take care of this" for her boss.

There are times in life when we must be open to the help and guidance of others. Julia is a bit slow on the uptake, but soon enough, figures out that listening to those who have been going through what she's about to go through provides the insight she needs to make up her own mind ... finding a way of doing things on her own terms. Given the subject matter, the film from Granit and Maymon offers a good dose of humor, and it's also effective in reminding us that taking a "vision trip" can be the holiday that leads to clarity and making decisions that work best for ourselves.

Opens in theaters on February 24, 2023.

I appreciate the fact that they didn't convolute a serious subject matter like stage 4 cancer with unrealistic, fantastical wishful thinking & gave one of the most unfathomable & perhaps unpopular choices one can make for their own life a reality check rather than presenting a serious aspect like ("Life & Death) to be portrayed as it is with all its tragic and traumatic ramifications!

Not recommendable for those seeking a happy ending, though making a choice to end one's life while enjoying it to the fullest, even if that choice is in contrast with general societal norms, is a view point that should be appreciated for the truthfulness it entails !

Good writing, good acting and altogether a good sad movie about life!

The non term "comedy drama" strikes again. And since it's being used repeatedly, I'm forced to repeat my statement: "there's no such thing as comedy drama". The drama here, as in most cases when this term is used, is indeed present. But not every time humor is used the result is comedy. In this case humor is here simply to hold the drama in check and stop the entire thing from turning into a melodramatic mush. And it works, we do get a very understated and sometimes even restrained emotional reaction in a story that the normal Hollywood treatment would turn into an overwhelming sentimental tearjerker. The fact that we have no tearjerker here is in itself an achievement.

This achievement is reached with the help of the humor used here and with superb acting of all the leads. That is, in my humble opinion, what we got here is four leads and one major supporting role. Namely, Andie MacDowell, Miriam Margolyes, Sally Phillips and Rakhee Thakrar who all get their moments on screen, and Tamsin Greig, who supports this magnificent quartet. If we consider the subject matter - keeping the entire thing from going overboard is really something special that requires a lot of control and restraint from the cast. I remember seeing other movies on this topic that failed exactly in this point. The result was next to unwatchable.

One last point: one of the previous reviewers wrote the entire movie off as a collection of cliche. The story as is, without the humor and the restraint is exactly a collection of cliche. But when this collection of cliche is presented like that it becomes something completely different. For me, it became real, and touching because of this approach.

Cancer touches so many lives in unique ways and this film captures four individual journeys.

Told in almost real time as the events unfold Julia Roth (Andie MacDowell) arrives at a clinic to begin chemotherapy. She finds three woman in midst of their treatments. They recognise her face for her celebrity but also her pain as their own. Her rollercoaster of emotions coming to terms with the gravity of her diagnosis is understood and forgiven as they have all been there before and they welcome her with open arms to share in their coping mechanisms.

The film is beautifully shot and edited to tell a very real heartfelt story. The use of comedy is not to entertain the audience or even lift the somber mood. It is simply there because life always has its comedic moments. When things are at their worst we always try to find some humour in the situation because without it what would life be?

For me the stand out performances were from Sally Phillips and Miriam Margolyes. Rakhee Thakrar played her character so naturally she could have been a real patient on the ward.

I think this film is told in a true, respectfully representative way for the people who are daily facing cancer, without overly dramatising it. Which I think takes true skill.

Julia Roth (Andie MacDowell) is an older Hollywood actress struggling to make a 'comeback'. She also has colon cancer. She is getting chemotherapy at a clinic outside of London to hide from the public. She is angry to have three roommates during treatment. Mikey (Sally Phillips) is a party girl and troubled mom. Judy (Miriam Margolyes) is a chemo veteran expecting good news. Imaan (Rakhee Thakrar) is a Muslim mother. Nancy (Tamsin Greig) is Julia's fixer manager.

This starts off poorly with a stereotypical clueless entitled Hollywood actress. Andie MacDowell should ask herself if she could ever be this character in real life. Everybody knows what stage 4 means. I get the writing premise of making Julia the worst version of herself so that she can grow. It's not the best part of the movie. The best part is simply four regular women talking about their lives. The movie gets there eventually, but they keep going back to overblown writing. I don't need a baby who survived the holocaust. This movie has its problem. When it's right, it has its heart in the right place.